Grain metering device

ABSTRACT

A grain metering device consisting of a hollow meter housing disposed in spaced relation above a discharge opening in the floor of a grain receptacle, and of sufficiently larger diameter than the opening that grain will not free-flow under the edges of the housing to the opening, and fingered scoop wheels carried by the housing and disposed in the space between the floor and the housing, the wheel fingers being of sufficient radius to project outwardly from the housing and inwardly over the opening, so as to transport grain from the receptacle to the opening as the wheels rotate, the chamber being rotatable at various speeds by a power device, and the wheels also being rotatable, being driven by the power device in one form of the invention, and by the inclusion of the wheel fingers in the receptacle grain in another form of the invention.

[ Feb.4, 1975 GRAIN METERING DEVICE [75] Inventors: Robert C. Chaffee, Green; Delmar Toburen, Riley, both of Kans.

[73] Assignee: Gilmore-Tatge Manufacturing Co.,

Inc., Clay Center, Kans.

[22] Filed: Mar. 7, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 448,833

[52] U.S. Cl 222/238, 222/272, 222/410 [51] Int. Cl. G0lf 11/20 [58] Field of Search 214/17 P;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,574,231 1l/1951 Sinden 23/410x FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,072,847 6/1967 Great Britain 222/411 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Larry H. Martin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John A. Hamilton [57] ABSTRACT A grain metering device consisting of a hollow meter housing disposed in spaced relation above a discharge opening in the floor of a grain receptacle, and of sufficiently larger diameter than the opening that grain will not free-flow under the edges of the housing to the opening, and fingered scoop wheels carried by the housing and disposed in the space between the floor and the housing, the wheel fingers being of sufficient radius to project outwardly from the housing and inwardly over the opening, so as to transport grain from the receptacle to the opening as the wheels rotate, the chamber being rotatable at various speeds by a power device, and the wheels also being rotatable, being driven by the power device in one form of the invention, and by the inclusion of the wheel fingers in the receptacle grain in another form of the invention.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1 GRAIN METERING DEVICE This invention relates to new and useful improvements in grain metering devices, and has particular reference to a device for discharging cereal grain from a receptacle at a measured rate.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a grain metering device which solves many of the common problems associated with presently available devices. For example, many presently available metering devices will not discharge grain at a reliably uniform rate, such a uniform discharge rate often being of utmost importance to some timed operation being performed on the grain in the receptacle, the discharge rate provided by the metering device determining the time the grain is retained in the receptacle, and in some cases in connection with operations performed on the grain after it is discharged from the receptacle by the metering device. The present metering device has been designed primarily to discharge grain from a receptacle in which it is being dried by currents of hot air directed therethrough, the discharge rate provided by the metering device determining the total time the grain is exposed to the hot air currents, and hence the degree to which the grain is dried. However, it will be apparent that the present device has general applicability wherever a uniform delivery rate of grain is desired.

Other commonly encounter problems are that the grain, due to its almost liquid flowing properties, tends to free-flow through the passages of a. metering device by gravity rather than waiting to be discharged by some positive function of the meter; that the grain tends to be discharged unevenly from different portions of the receptacle, particularly where the discharge opening is quite small compared to. the size of the receptacle, which affects the retention time of grain in different portions of the receptacle; that the grain, particularly when it carriesa high percentage of moisture, often tends to jam or become clogged by bridging in some parts of the receptacle to produce a channelized flow, so that the grain in the flow channels is retained too short a time, and the clogged portions too long; and that the metering device sometimes becomes clogged and the grain flow interrupted by stalks, weeds, and the like which are often intermixed with the grain. The present metering device is capable of eliminating or alleviating all of these problems.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency and dependability of operation, and adaptability for use in metering granular materials other than cereal grains.

With these objects in view as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical mid-sectional view of the lower portion of a grain-drying machine including a grain metering device embodying the present invention arranged to control the discharge of the grain from the bottom of said machine, with parts left in elevation,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line II-Il of FIG. 1, with the grain omitted,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III-III of FIG. 1, with the grain omitted,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3, with the grain included, and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a slight modification of structure.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 2 applies generally to a grain drying machine, shown fragmentarily, which in the present disclosure serves merely as an example ofa grain receptacle from which grain may be discharged at a measured rate by the metering device forming the subject matter of the present invention. The machine comprises an outer vertical cylindrical housing 4 having a conical hopper bottom 6 with a planar horizontal floor 8. Floor 8 has a circular grain discharge opening 10 formed centrally therein, with an open spider l2 fixed therein, through which grain l4 falls to a chamber 16, from which the grain is continuously removed by an auger 18 operating in an auger tube 20 (see FIG. 4). Suspended within outer housing 4 is an inner housing 22, having a horizontal floor 23 disposed above hopper bottom 6 of the outer housing. The grain l4 travelling downwardly in the annular space 24 between the outer and inner housings at a rate determined by the rate of discharge of grain through discharge opening 10 of hopper floor 8. Within space 24, it will be understood that the inner and outer housings may be perforated, and that the grain is being dried by currents of hot air forced therethrough, the air heating and delivery means forming no part of the present invention, and not being shown. It will thus be apparent that the degree to which the grain is dried will be dependent on the time it is retained in space 24, which in turn is dependent on the discharge rate through opening 10.

The metering device forming the subject matter of the present invention controls the rate of grain discharge through opening 10, and is indicated generally by the numeral 26. It includes a meter housing 28 of hollow cylindrical form, disposed concentrically with discharge opening 10, in spaced apart relation above hopper floor 8. It has open-work spiders 30 and 32 affixed respectively in the upper and lowerends thereof, and a tubular axial hub 34 extending between and affixed in said spiders. Said hub is secured by a shear pin 36 to a vertical shaft 38 journalled at its lower end in a bearing 40 carried by a spider 12 of opening 10, and extends upwardly through inner housing floor 23 where it is rotatably driven by the output of a geared power transmission unit 42 mounted on said floor, said transmission in turn being driven by an electric motor 44 also mounted on said floor. It will be apparent that shaft 38 must be rotatable at variable speeds. For this purpose, motor 44 could be of the variable-speed type, or transmission 42 could be of a variable-ratio type. In either case, the variability is preferably obtainable by remote controls.

It will be seen, particularly in FIG. 4, that the grain l4 normally engages the outer surface of meter housing 28, and that said meter housing is of sufficiently larger diameter than discharge opening 10 that the grain will not free-flow under the lower edge of the housing to said discharge opening. That is, the diameter of the housing is enough larger than that of the opening that grain flowing under the lower edge of the housing will assume its normal angle of repose, as indicated at 46, and come to rest, before it reaches and passes through the opening. As a practical approximation, this means that the diameter of the housing must exceed the diameter of opening 10 by an amount at least twice the vertical spacing between floor 8 and the lower edge of housing 28, since the normal angle of repose of most grains is about 45 degrees.

To deliver grain to the discharge opening, there are provided a pair of scoop wheels 48 disposed at an elevation between hopper floor 8 and the lower edge of meter housing 28. Said wheels are carried by said meter housing for rotation on vertical axes spaced apart respectively diametrically opposite sides of shaft 38. Each of said wheels constitutes a plurality of radially projecting fingers 50, each curved forwardly in the direction of rotation of the wheels, as best shown in FIG. 3. The fingers are of such vertical width as to engage rather closely between hopper floor 8 and meter housing 28, and of such radial length as to extend well outside of housing 28, to the outer peripheral region of hopper floor 8, and to extend inwardly over discharge opening 10. Each scoop wheel is fixed to a vertical shaft 52 disposed within the peripheral portion of meter housing 28, and journalled rotatably in bearings 54 mounted on spiders 30 and 32.

In FIGS. 1-4, shafts 52 extend above housing 28, each having affixed thereon a sprocket wheel 56, the sprockets 56 of the two shafts being interconnected for simultaneous rotation at equal speeds by a sprocket chain 58. A second sprocket wheel 60 is affixed to one of shafts 52, and is connected by a sprocket chain 62 to a much larger sprocket wheel 64 immovably fixed to floor 23 of inner housing 22 by bolts 66, in concentric relation to shaft 38. In FIG. 5, shafts 52 are freely rotatable, but have no power drive directly thereto.

Preferably, meter housing 28 is provided with a conical, upwardly enlarging cone extension 68 formed of sheet metal, said extension being secured to said housing by brackets 70, and being rotatable therewith. Said extension merges with the housing 28 above the lower edge of the latter, and projects far enough above the housing to prevent grain from flowing'over the upper edge of the extension. Also inner housing 22 may be provided with a depending skirt 72 which encloses and extends below the upper edge of the extension, as a further prevention against grain entering inside the extension. Any small amount of grain which might enter the extension, particularly by reason of the grain agitators to be described, passes to discharge opening 10, either through the meter housing itself, which is open from top to bottom, or through openings 74 formed in the meter housing above the lower edge of the extension. The latter openings pass any grain which may tend to collect in the well between the meter and its extension.

To prevent clogging of grain as it passes through the conical space between hopper 6 and meter extension 68, and approaches the scoop wheels, a plurality of grain stirring or agitating arms 76 are affixed to extension 68 so as to rotate therewith. As shown, one agitator arm is disposed immediately beneath the lower end of the annular chamber between the outer and inner housings, and one is disposed in the lower part of the conical portion of the grain chamber, adjacent the scoop wheels. However, it will be readily apparent that the number and positioning of said agitator arms may be varied as desired.

In the operation of the species of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4, it will be seen that as shaft 38 is turned by motor 44, it causes rotation or meter housing 28 in the direction of arrow 78 in FIG. 3, while scoop wheels 48 are caused to rotate in a reverse direction to that of the meter housing, as indicated by arrows 80, and at a much greater speed than the meter housing, due to the ratio between sprockets 60 and 64. As the scoop wheels turn, their fingers scoop grain l4 inwardly under the edge of the meter housing to discharge opening 10, through which the grain falls into chamber 16 for disposition by auger 18.

The principal advantages of the discharge provided by the present metering device are those centering on the provision of an accurately uniform discharge rate, and in providing a uniform retention time for the grain in all portions of the receptacle. The rate of discharge is of course determined primarily by the speed of rotation of meter housing 28, which as previously described can be varied over a wide range by changing the speed of motor 44, or by changing the drive ratio of transmission 42. The rotation ofthe meter housing causes scoop wheels 48 to sweep substantially the entire area of hopper floor 8 in a cyclically repetitive pattern, so that grain is removed at an even rate from the entire periphery of the receptacle, this is a most important provision where, as in most cases, the size of the discharge opening must be comparatively greatly restricted as compared to the overall area or size of the receptacle, since grain, despite its readily flowable characteristics, will nevertheless tend to flow in relatively restricted channels in a large receptacle if it is being discharged through an opening at one point of said receptacle which is relatively restricted in size. The result would be that grain flowing more rapidly in these localized flow channels would be retained in the receptacle for a short time, while grain outside these channels flows more slowly and would therefore be retained in the receptacle for a longer time. This non-uniformity of retention time of different portions of the grain passing through the receptacle can be seriously detrimental in some cases. For example, in the grain drying operation described, it could have the result that some of the discharged grain would be inadequatelydried, and some over-dried or even cooked. Secondly, the described tendency of grain to flow locally or in channels is often aggravated particularly when the grain may have a high degree of moisture content, in that wet grain tends to jam or clog in flow passages, sometimes even forming solid bridges or dams which thereafter halt all grain flow in the affected zones. The agitator arms 76, which are affixed to and are rotated with the meter housing, constantly sweep through the grain above the scoop wheels to break up any such bridges or dams, thereby to insure an even flow of grain to the scoop wheels. The possible jamming or clogging of grain also has a direct bearing on the rate of discharge, since if such localized obstructions occur, grain will be supplied to the scoop fingers only to a reduced degree, or not at all, at some angular positions of the meter housing, and therefore reduce the average discharge rate. Thirdly, the fact that meter housing 28 is concentric with but of much larger diameter than discharge open ing 10 prevents any free-flow of grain from the receptacle to said opening, so that all grain discharged must be transported by the positive action of the scoop fingers. Any such free-flow of grain would of course be an excess over the measured delivery rate of the scoop wheels, and would furthermore be variably erratic, so that a variably erratic overall discharge rate would result. Fourthly, the power rotation of the scoop wheels,

at a much greater speed than that of the meter housing, is important in keeping the device cleared of grain stalks, weeds, and other trash" which is often intermixed with the grain. Such stalks or weeds often become entangled or fouled on meter components, inhibiting their operation and tending to reduce the amount of grain delivered thereby, for example by tending to occupy and fill the concavities of the leading faces of fingers 50. In the present device, the high speed of the scoop wheels will in most cases permit fingers 50 to cut through such stalks and weeds, reducing them to smaller pieces which are then passed on through the meter together with the grain. Fingers 50 are also provided with rather sharp longitudinal edges to assist in this cutting action. Some cutting action also occurs between the fingers and the lower edge of meter housing 28, as said fingers pass from the exterior to the interior of said housing. Of course, the relatively high speed rotation of the scoop wheels results in a higher grain discharge rate than would be the case if said wheels turned at a slower rate. However, discharge rates sufficiently low for most purposes can be obtained, while still maintaining a sufficiently high wheel speed to provide the described cutting action, due to the fact that said wheels are turning in a direction opposite to the rotation of the meter housing. For this reason, it will be seen that each finger 50, as it scoops grain under the lower edge of the meter housing, is actually retreating or receding from the grain face from which it is scooping grain. Therefore it delivers less grain than would be the case if it were rotating in the same direction as the housing, and a lower discharge rate results. The discharge rate can also be changed by varying the number and size of scoop wheels used, and the number and length of the fingers of each wheel. Shear pin 36 yields to prevent damage to the machine in the event stones or the like should be entrained with the grain and positively block rotation of the wheels.

The operation of the species of the metering device shown in FIG. 5 is generally similar to that of the species of FIGS. l-4, except of course that the scoop wheels 48 therein are not driven by a direct power train from motor 44, as in FIGS. 1-4. However, said wheels do rotate, and deliver grain to discharge opening 10, as meter housing 28 is turned by the motor, since the fingers 50 thereof projecting outwardly from the housing are surrounded closely by a greater mass and weight of grain than the fingers thereof disposed within the housing, so that the wheels are turned in the same direction as in FIGS. 1-4 by the resistance of the grain itself. This species of our invention discharges grain at a lower rate than the species of FIGS. 1-4, presuming that the rotational speed of the meter housing is equal in both cases, and is therefore especially adapted for use in applications wherein low discharge rates may be desired. Also, the FIG. 5 species obviously does not provide the weed and stalk cutting action provided by the relatively high wheel speed of FIGS. l-4, but is nevertheless well adapted for use when such foreign matter as stalks and weeds are not present in the grain, or are present in only insignificant amounts. This species is clearly somewhat less complicated and less expensive than the species of FIGS. l-4.

While we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of our invention, it wil be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and opera- 6 tion could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a grain receptacle having a grain discharge opening in the floor thereof, a metering device for regulating the rate of discharge of grain through said opening, said metering device comprising:

a. a meter housing disposed within said receptacle in spaced relation above said discharge opening, concentrically with and of greater horizontal dimensions than said opening, whereby grain must pass beneath said housing to reach said opening,

b. power means operable to rotate said meter housing about a vertical axis concentric with said discharge opening,

c. at least one scoop wheel carried rotatably by said meter housing on a vertical axis eccentric to the axis of said housing, said wheel including radially extending fingers operable in the vertical space between said receptacle floor and the lower edge of said meter housing, said fingers being of sufficient length to extend radially outwardly of said meter housing, and radially inwardly over said discharge opening, and

d. means whereby rotation of said meter housing results in rotation of said scoop wheel in an opposite direction relative to said housing rotation whereupon the fingers of the latter scoop grain from said receptacle under the lower edge of said meter housing to said discharge opening.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 with the addition of means whereby said meter housing may be rotated at variable speeds.

3. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said receptacle floor is substantially circular concentrically with said discharge opening, and wherein the radially outward extremity of the fingers of said scoop wheel describe an orbit, as said housing rotates, including substantially the entire areaof said receptacle floor, whereby said scoop wheel removes grain at a substantially uniform rate from all portions of the periphery of said receptacle.

4. The combination as recited in claim 1 with the addition of one or more grain agitating elements carried by said meter housing and disposed exteriorly thereof with the grain receptacle above said scoop wheel, whereby to agitate the grain in said receptacle as said housing is rotated, whereby to prevent clogging or jamming of said grain to insure an even flow thereof to said scoop wheel.

5. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said meter housing and said discharge opening are concentrically circular about a vertical axis, said housing being of sufficiently larger diameter than said opening, relative to the vertical spacing between said receptacle floor and the lower edge of said housing, that the grain cannot free-flow by gravity from said receptacle under the lower edge of said housing discharge opening.

6. The combination as recited in claim 5 wherein the diameter of said meter housing exceeds the diameter of said discharge opening by an amount at least twice the vertical distance between said receptacle floor and the lower edge of said housing.

7. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said radially extending fingers of said scoop wheel are 9. The combination as recited in claim 8 wherein the longitudinal edges of said scoop wheel fingers are sharp to assist in their cutting stalks or weeds entrained in the ram. g 10. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said scoop wheel is freely rotatable, and wherein said wheel is rotated by the resistance to movement of the wheel fingers supplied by grain surrounding the fingers thereof extending outwardly from said meter housing. 

1. In combination with a grain receptacle having a grain discharge opening in the floor thereof, a metering device for regulating the rate of discharge of grain through said opening, said metering device comprising: a. a meter housing disposed within said receptacle in spaced relation above said discharge opening, concentrically with and of greater horizontal dimensions than said opening, whereby grain must pass beneath said housing to reach said opening, b. power means operable to rotate said meter housing about a vertical axis concentric with said discharge opening, c. at least one scoop wheel carried rotatably by said meter housing on a vertical axis eccentric to the axis of said housing, said wheel including radially extending fingers operable in the vertical space between said receptacle floor and the lower edge of said meter housing, said fingers beinG of sufficient length to extend radially outwardly of said meter housing, and radially inwardly over said discharge opening, and d. means whereby rotation of said meter housing results in rotation of said scoop wheel in an opposite direction relative to said housing rotation whereupon the fingers of the latter scoop grain from said receptacle under the lower edge of said meter housing to said discharge opening.
 2. The combination as recited in claim 1 with the addition of means whereby said meter housing may be rotated at variable speeds.
 3. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said receptacle floor is substantially circular concentrically with said discharge opening, and wherein the radially outward extremity of the fingers of said scoop wheel describe an orbit, as said housing rotates, including substantially the entire area of said receptacle floor, whereby said scoop wheel removes grain at a substantially uniform rate from all portions of the periphery of said receptacle.
 4. The combination as recited in claim 1 with the addition of one or more grain agitating elements carried by said meter housing and disposed exteriorly thereof with the grain receptacle above said scoop wheel, whereby to agitate the grain in said receptacle as said housing is rotated, whereby to prevent clogging or jamming of said grain to insure an even flow thereof to said scoop wheel.
 5. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said meter housing and said discharge opening are concentrically circular about a vertical axis, said housing being of sufficiently larger diameter than said opening, relative to the vertical spacing between said receptacle floor and the lower edge of said housing, that the grain cannot free-flow by gravity from said receptacle under the lower edge of said housing discharge opening.
 6. The combination as recited in claim 5 wherein the diameter of said meter housing exceeds the diameter of said discharge opening by an amount at least twice the vertical distance between said receptacle floor and the lower edge of said housing.
 7. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said radially extending fingers of said scoop wheel are curved angularly forwardly in their direction of rotation relative to said meter housing.
 8. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said means causing rotation of said scoop wheel to result from rotation of said meter housing constitutes a driving connection between said housing and said wheel whereby rotation of the former causes rotation of the latter, rotation of said wheel being opposite to that of the housing, and at a greater speed than that at which said housing rotates.
 9. The combination as recited in claim 8 wherein the longitudinal edges of said scoop wheel fingers are sharp to assist in their cutting stalks or weeds entrained in the grain.
 10. The combination as recited in claim 1 wherein said scoop wheel is freely rotatable, and wherein said wheel is rotated by the resistance to movement of the wheel fingers supplied by grain surrounding the fingers thereof extending outwardly from said meter housing. 